Can piercing device



March 20, 1956 J. UHRlN 2,738,577

CAN PIERCING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN UH RIN PAR KER 2^CARTER ATTO RNEYS United States Patent() CAN PIERCING DEVICE John Uhrin,Kenosha, Wis. Application August 2, 1955, Serial No. 525,977 2 Claims.(Cl. Sil-6.1)

My invention relates to can piercing devices and more particularly to adevice that will pierce a pouring spout and an air vent into the top ofa can or container.

The object of my invention is to provide a piercing device that enablesthe user to pierce two openings with a single operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device in which a pair ofapertures may be pierced into the top of a can, one aperture beingespecially adapted for use as a pouring spout, and the other anelongated aperture to form an air vent for the can while its contentsare being poured.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a piercing meanshaving a pair of blades adjustably mounted, to space the pouringaperture and the vent at any predetermined distance from each other.

A further object of my invention is to slidably support the blades in amanner to prevent their disengagement from the support. y It is commonpractice to pierce the cover of a container or can containing liquidbeverages or the like, with an aperture for pouring the contents of thecan, and another aperture to permit air to enter the can while theliquid is being poured. This is generally done by the user in twoseparate operations, using the outer peripheral edge of a can orcontainer as' a guide or fulcrum for the piercing device.

The device shown and described herein provides a single unit having apair of slidably supported piercing points that may be set at anypredetermined position in their relation to each other, and means forenabling the operator to force both points into engagement with, andthrough the top of the container n one operation. The tool described issimple in construction, economical to manufacture, yet highly efficientfor the purpose for which it is intended.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent asthe description proceedsl when l taken in conjunction with the drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of device having a rounded knob atits upper end, and showing the device in operative position relative toa can, with the top of the can shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the device taken at the line 2 2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of device in which thetop end of the unit is in the form of a at plate, and the said devicehas a cork pulling means pivotally attached to the side of the body.

Figure 4 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 2, but having itstop plate extended laterally to provide a means for removing a bottlecap, and also having a blade for forming a means to be inserted betweena frictionally engaged cover of a can or bottle for removing the coverby lever action. f

Figure 5 is a cross section of the device shown in Figure 3 taken on theline 5-5 thereof.

2,738,577 Patented Mar. 20,y 1956 ICC Referring to details of theembodiment of the invention shown in Figures l and` 2 of the drawings,the device has a body consisting of a knob'10-at the: upper end of avertical shank 11 terminating ina hollow cross support 12 at its bottom.Said cross support consists of. spaced upright side walls 12 and 12",`closed at the top 13 and at the bottom 14 as shown, and open at bothends to accommodate two sliding blade supports therein. One bladesupport 15 has a downwardly projecting integral point 16 at its outerend, for forming an air vent.

The second blade support 17 has a blade 18 at its free end for piercingthe pouring aperture. In the form shown, said blade 18 is made of aseparate piece, pointed at its lower end, and V-shaped in horizontalsection and extending inwardly along opposite sides of the blade support17. Said V-shaped blade 18 is attached to the end of the second bladesupport 17 by an upright channel member 18 xed along the crotch of theV-shaped blade, and with its side walls xed to opposite sides of theblade support 17 as by welding (see Figure 2). The end of the bladesupport 17 is also provided with a depending rounded knifelike surface19 for forming an inwardly elongated cut as the point 18 pierces apouring spout into the top of the can, which elongated cut is indicatedat 20 in Figure l.

The blade supports 15 and 18 are slidably mounted in the cross support12 so as to extend in oppositely extending telescopic relation to eachother to permit adjustment of the points 16 and 18 toward one another 0raway from one another as the size of the can may require. A thumb screw29 may be threaded through one side wall 12 of the cross support 12 tohold the blade supports 15 and 17 in any desired xed position ofadjustment relative to each other. Said blade supports are also providedwith outwardly extending knobs 22 and 23, respectively, on their innerfaces, adjacent their opposite ends. These knobs are designed tofrictional- 1y engage the opposed face of the other blade support, andalso to engage each other for limiting extending movement of the bladesupports between the walls 12 and 12".

Figure 3 shows a modied form of the device, which has a top plate 24 cutout at 25 along one edge to form a conventional bottle opener forremoving bottle caps. The top plate also has a concave blade 26 alongits opposite edge to act as a wedge for insertion between a can coverand the can when the cover frictionally engages the top of the can, theblade 26 acting as a prying agent with a lever action.

A cork puller 27 may also be mounted on one side of the vertical shank11. This cork puller 27 is shown with its upper end pivoted at 25 onsaid shank and is merely an additional accessory and not a necessarypart of the invention but an aid in the utility of the device whenassembled as a unit.

Although I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention,it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exactconstruction shown and described but that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device for piercing can tops and the like, an upright bodyhaving a hollow cross support at its lower end, two blade supportsextending from opposite ends of said cross support and mounted in thelatter for endwise telescopic adjustment relative to each other, each ofsaid blade supports having an integral downturned piercing blade at itsouter end, an auxiliary piercing blade, V-shaped in cross-section, fixedin the outer end of one of said blade supports and extending inwardlyalong opposite sides of the latter to cooperate with the downturnedpiercing blade therebetween to produce an elongated generally V-shapedcut, and clamping means on said cross support to hold said blades inadjusted posi tions relative to said cross support.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the blade supports have projectionson adjacent sides thereof for limiting their sliding movement in saidcross support, relative to each other, and the clamping means consistsof References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSKempf Aug. 14, 1900 Rook Sept. 3, 1912 Schwartzberg Sept. 9, 1919

